JACKSON - Fisheries Biologists with the Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) want to remind All
Terrain Vehicle (ATV) drivers that riding in streambeds can be
harmful to fish habitat and fish, and may be unlawful. ATVs
disturb gravel, sand, and vegetation in stream bottoms that serve
as spawning areas for fish, cover for small fish, and attachment
sites for insects, crawfish, and other aquatic fish food organisms.

According to state statute, it is illegal for anyone to operate
an ATV, four-wheel-drive motorized vehicle, or other wheeled or
tracked vehicle that could cause damage to the streambed within the
bed of a public waterway. This is a Class II violation, and upon
conviction, may be punishable by fines of not less than $100.00 nor
more than $500.00, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not
less than 60 days nor more than six months, or by both fine and
imprisonment.

For more information regarding fishing in Mississippi, visit our
website at www.mdwfp.com or call us at
601-432-2045.